.NET Framework · Lifecycle Status

.NET Framework End of Life (EOL) Dates & Support Timeline

Complete end-of-life dates, support windows, and security status for all .NET Framework versions. Data sourced from endoflife.date and official vendor documentation. Updated at every deploy.

.NET Framework 4.8.1 is actively supported. Next EOL: version 4.6.2 on January 12, 2027.
📅 Get reminded before .NET Framework 4.6.2 reaches EOL on January 12, 2027 — alerts 90, 30 & 7 days out.
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Latest Active
4.8.1
4.8.1 series
Next EOL
4.6.2
Jan 12, 2027
Active Versions
7
of 13 total
EOL Versions
6
no longer patched
50 / 100
Medium Risk
EOL Risk Score™  How is this calculated? →
EOL Recency
40/40
Attack Surface
10/30 Medium tier
CISA KEV Exposure
0/20 Not in KEV
Extended Support
0/10 Available
EOL Risk Score™ — proprietary methodology by endoflife.ai. Factors: EOL recency, attack surface breadth, CISA KEV catalog presence, extended support availability. Updated at every build. Methodology →
Release Cycle Timeline
EOL   Warning   Active   Today
Release cycle timeline 20082009201020112012201320142015201620172018201920202021202220232024202520262027202820293.5-sp14.04.54.5.14.5.24.64.6.14.6.24.74.7.14.7.24.84.8.1TODAY
All Versions
VersionLatest ReleaseRelease DateEOL DateDaysStatus
3.5-sp1 Nov 19, 2007 Jan 9, 2029 931 days remaining Active
4.0 Apr 12, 2010 Jan 12, 2016 3815 days past EOL EOL
4.5 Aug 15, 2012 Jan 12, 2016 3815 days past EOL EOL
4.5.1 Oct 17, 2013 Jan 12, 2016 3815 days past EOL EOL
4.5.2 May 5, 2014 Apr 26, 2022 1519 days past EOL EOL
4.6 Jul 20, 2015 Apr 26, 2022 1519 days past EOL EOL
4.6.1 Nov 30, 2015 Apr 26, 2022 1519 days past EOL EOL
4.6.2 Aug 2, 2016 Jan 12, 2027 203 days remaining Active
4.7 Apr 5, 2017 TBD Supported Active
4.7.1 Oct 17, 2017 TBD Supported Active
4.7.2 Apr 30, 2018 TBD Supported Active
4.8 Apr 18, 2019 TBD Supported Active
4.8.1 Aug 9, 2022 TBD Supported Active

What does .NET Framework end of life mean for your organization?

When a version of .NET Framework reaches end of life, the maintainers stop issuing security patches. Vulnerabilities discovered after this date are publicly disclosed on the National Vulnerability Database, exploit code appears on GitHub, and your systems remain permanently exposed.

The CVE blind spot: Most vulnerability scanners check for known CVEs but do not flag the accumulation of unpatched vulnerabilities in EOL software. With a zero-day, nobody knows about the vulnerability. With EOL software, the vulnerability is public — listed, rated, and often weaponized — but no patch will ever exist. This is the most dangerous gap in enterprise security posture.

Organizations running EOL .NET Framework should treat it as a vulnerability class in their risk register, apply compensating controls (network segmentation, enhanced monitoring, access restriction), and prioritize migration to a supported version.

Extended Support Options

If you cannot migrate immediately, extended support vendors provide continued security patches for EOL .NET Framework versions. This is a bridge, not a permanent solution — plan your migration in parallel.

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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the end-of-life date for .NET Framework?
The next .NET Framework version reaching EOL is 4.6.2 on January 12, 2027. See the full table above for all version EOL dates.
When is the .NET Framework support end date?
The next .NET Framework support end date is January 12, 2027, when version 4.6.2 reaches end of support. Each version has its own support end date — see the table above for every version's date.
What is the latest supported version of .NET Framework?
The latest active version of .NET Framework is 4.8.1. Always verify against the table above as support windows can change.
What happens when .NET Framework reaches end of life?
When .NET Framework reaches end of life, the vendor stops issuing security patches. Any CVEs disclosed after the EOL date accumulate indefinitely with no patch path — creating an ever-growing attack surface that most vulnerability scanners do not flag.
How do I check if I'm running an EOL version of .NET Framework?
Check your current version against the table above. If your version's EOL date has passed, you are running unsupported software. You can also use the endoflife.ai Stack Scanner to check your entire dependency file at once.
Is there extended support available for EOL .NET Framework versions?
Some vendors offer extended support for EOL software. Contact the original vendor or check with enterprise support providers for options.

Related Products

Data from endoflife.date API · endoflife.date · Generated at build time · How we source data →